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That scene with Eric and Nell was, in my opinion, just the writers putting them on even footing. Eric has been seeing Nate because he needed to talk to a psychiatrist, yes you’re correct, and apparently he’s been hiding that he’s needed to from Nell because he thought it made him weak, that not being able to handle their job when she could was shameful.

He was wrong, though, Nell has also been seeing a psychologist all along, because their job gets to her, too. That scene was us finding out that they’re both effected by their job, and that they both actively seek out help because of it (as opposed to the rest of the team who run from Nate). 

The comment about Nate and Nell dating was in past tense though, they’re not together now. Nell specified she was only seeing Nate now as her psychologist. 

I’ve personally always assumed whatever Nate and Nell’s history together was, it was over from the moment we met them both. As in, since we now know they used to date, I think it was before Nell started working with the team when it happened and that when we first meet Nell in the show they’d already broken up, which may or may not be canon because i’m not sure it was specific that they said they used to know each other or if they said they know each other and i don’t have my dvd rn to check which it is. But it doesn’t really matter when they broke up, we know they had to have been broken up by the time Nate starts pointing out to Nell that she has feelings for Eric, and tbh it had to have been a while before that, too, otherwise i doubt Nate would be talking to her about her feelings for another man without a hint of emotion. 

Also, Eric doesn’t really need a reason to be jealous in my opinion?? I’m not sure if Eric is naturally jealous or if he’s just jealous when it comes to Nell, but he’s gotten really jealous over anybody showing interest or closeness with Nell, i don’t think Eric would even have to have known Nell and Nate had dated for him to be jealous of Nate, to be honest. Even when random people who she obviously doesn’t like flirt with her, Eric gets jealous of them.  

Neric is weird, yeah. 

As far as i can tell, they’re basically in a relationship without sleeping together (both literally sleeping and the euphemism). The idea of the other being with somebody else hurts them, and they both admit it does to each other, their kissing is not entirely innocent (she isn’t fully kissing him on the lips, but she is half doing it, i do NOT kiss my friends or colleagues like that). They show as much care and concern for each other as Densi do (except, with less concerning violence) and their reunions after the danger has passed are often times actually more emotionally charged than Densi’s are, and they’re engaged. 

I actually do think they've advanced further than when they were with the post it notes last season, I don't even mean the christmas with her family thing, either. Like, i think there's thought in fandom that they've not really gotten anywhere since then apart from the invite thing and i don't really agree. 

I actually think that if half the things that have been in this season had happened last season, they wouldn't have gone nearly as far as they both have. Like, for example, the underwear conversation; last season Eric beale would have choked, gone bright red and wouldn't have carried on with the banter. The only reason they got as far as to talk about Nell in that underwear is because Eric realised she was bantering, and joined in. He doesn't normally do that, not in conversations like that. 

I also think they're getting further because Nell is being a bit more open and direct and a lot less manipulative and vague. She's developing as a character and that's making their relationship move forward. Instead of hinting at Eric that she'd like to see him out of the office like she once did, she instead invited him to go spend Christmas with her openly. 

We've seen eric freak out when Nell has been in danger before, but since Eric is rarely in dire situations we don't often get to see Nell worry about his safety. When the mole dude used Eric as his leverage to get out of the building, Nell's immediate reaction was to search the building to find him and see with her own eyes that he was okay. Then she tenderly checked his head was okay and they had a cute moment totally devoid of her usual vague-ness. 

I've said before that i think for Neric to really get somewhere they need to start being more perceptive to how the other operates, and they've actually started doing that.

I mean, whenever Eric used to get really nerdy it always used to make Nell uncomfortable because while she's also a massive nerd, she's insecure about it, so him being open and proud about it often threw her and she didn't know how to react. Along with this, Nell is a very indirect person, she'll hint and make vague comments and is on occasion really, really manipulative (it's why she's so good at undercover imo... See the kiss, she kinda did it because she could get away with it Scott free (the mistletoe) and she wanted it, but she also did it to get him into an elf outfit, hello manipulation), and where Eric is actually a really direct and honest person, her not being so often left him totally clueless as to what was going on because he took what she said at face value when she kept leaving hidden meaning everywhere.

This season eric has been encouraging her and telling her the nerdy things she does are really cool (like the drone stuff), which is probably a boost in confidence for her, and in turn Nell is being more direct with Eric, she invites him places and says it at face value, leaving him far more in the know about what she's feeling. 

And tbh i think they could go pretty far from here? I don't have massive hopes because, well, previous writing tells me that a neric full first half of the season probably means i won't get a lot in the second half. But i'll be honest, I actually think if they had a catalyst at this point in their partnership, they could actually end up in a relationship. but i also kind of think that they do need a catalyst first, and i just don't know what it could be?

I would definitely like a proper kiss though. i only /kind/ of count the free Ride kiss. I mean, i have no doubts that Nell wanted to kiss him, but i also think she had ulterior motives and it kind of ruins it. 

I'll be honest though, I thought the bank password bit was weird. What could that possible mean? Like, i get it'll mean a lot to us as shippers, but to Eric what could it mean? It just seemed really weird to use as a bank password. Maybe a note in a notepad or something that we happen to see but the password was weird. 

But also if they do have them get together i want it to be really awkward before they get into their stride. both of them excell at awkward and their interactions are kind of like, bathed in second hand embarrassment to the point where it's like, a genuine character point for both of them that they're awkward with each other. I don't want problems between them, but i don't want it to be totally smooth either because it wouldn't feel like them.

One of my favourite ships is josh x donna in the west wing, (so like, spoilers if anybody cares) and when the first got together it was brilliant but it was SO AWKWARD and it felt so right because it was awkward. I feel like the same thing would apply to Neric. if it isn't awkward at first then it won't even feel like it's Eric and Nell. 

but i also kind of think it'd be more monumental if Nell tells Eric how she feels about him first. Like, i'd expect Eric to jump out there with confessions first but i kind of want nell to do it just because if she's doing it without a safety net of the other person saying it already then she really means it.

idk i just have a lot of neric feelings

A) I use photoshop CS5 for my edits

B) I actually rarely have wish lists for upcoming seasons. If I do have them it'll be stupid little things because if I have wish lists and none of it happens i just end up disappointed. I'd just like some Neric to be in there to be honest. I'm not even fussy. A kiss on the cheek would be nice, from either person, if I'm being realistic in what i want. 

But I'd be totally happy if they made out in the burn room a lot. But i doubt that one's going to happen. 

As for Densi, that's more complicated. I'd actually like them to tone it down slightly, pretty much every side plot was densi in S5 and it got a little grating by the end. But, I'd like them to address them working through their issues (like Deeks losing his cool, in a serious way) and Kensi just having no clue whatsoever of how to properly let somebody in, she sucks at it. She needs her defences to go down a little more. Also: More cute, completely not angsty moments. Just cute and fun. 

C) Neric amuses me. It's my otp for this show, as much as i love Densi and it's angst potential, I like Neric because it's a healthier relationship. I think that they keep missing each other, though. Eric doesn't seem to get that Nell gets uncomfortable with shameless displays of super geekiness (she's a total nerd too but apparently more insecure about it?). Nell needs to say what she means more and stop messing with his head. Maybe not stop because it's funny, just tone it down a little. 

I also think the sticky notes leave the writers in a really open position for where they could go with them, but that also kind of worries me. We don't know what they said, it literally could have been something stupid like 'i like you more than oreos' or 'i love you' and anything in between. So basically, the writers can choose exactly where to go with zero restraints. 

That's potentially a good thing because it could really advance them, or potentially a bad thing because they could just say the notes said something stupid and forget about them.